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Street Hustler Ecstasy, blow, heroin. You name it, you will find it whispered to you, sotto voice, as you saunter along the famed Red Light District. Tolerated by the police as long as these hustlers don't harass the tourists by imploring them to buy, these "entrepreneurs" service an ever-expanding clientele eager to partake in illegal substances in a city known for its liberal drug laws. Employing techniques honed from Cartier-Bresson of pre-focusing and waiting for the "decisive moment," I loitered nearby and pretended to fumble with my camera. At the decisive moment, I exposed the film without raising the Leica rangefinder to my eye. Pressing the camera close to my body, I hand-held this image in the early evening light, for 1/15 second, effectively blurring the passersby and freezing the stationary salesman. Anxious not to draw attention to myself, I fumbled with my camera as I walked past him; pretending to be unsure of myself, my camera, and where I was. For photographers interested in street photography, practice in your hometown before traveling overseas. Making the difficult look easy, shooting without looking, or mimicking the mannerisms of a tourist is a much practiced form of portraiture. |
